Al-Rahman Legion
|native_name_lang=Ar |war = the Syrian Civil War |image = Official logo of the al-Rahman Legion Alternate logo of the Rahman Legion |caption = |active = November 2013–present |ideology = Islamism |clans = * Al-Bara Brigade * Glory Brigades ** Abu Musa al-Shari Brigade * Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union (Eastern Ghouta) ** Al-Habib al-Mustafa Brigade |leaders = *Capt. Abdul Nasr Shamir (a.k.a. Abu Nasr) *Mutasim Shamir (political bureau leader) *Capt. Samer Salah (Abu Najib) |headquarters = |area = Eastern Damascus, Damascus Governorate; eastern Ghouta and eastern Qalamoun Mountains, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Syria |strength = 2,000 -+3,000 |partof = * Free Syrian Army * Unified Military Command of Eastern Ghouta (2014–2015) |allies = *1st Brigade of Damascus * * Tahrir al-Sham/al-Nusra Front ( ) * Jaysh al-Islam ( ) * Ahrar al-Sham ( ) |opponents = * Syrian Armed Forces * * Jaysh al-Islam ( )Rebel allies fight each other in east Damascus: monitor NOW News, 1 March 2016Army of Islam Urges Al-Rahman Legion to End its Attack on East Ghouta Enab Baladi, June 16, 2016 * Ahrar al-Sham ( ) * Tahrir al-Sham/al-Nusra Front ( ) |battles = Syrian Civil War * Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War * Rif Dimashq offensive (September 2015) * East Ghouta inter-rebel conflict (April–May 2016) * Qaboun offensive (February–March 2017) * Daraa offensive (February–April 2017) * East Ghouta inter-rebel conflict (April–May 2017) * 2017 Jobar offensive }} The al-Rahman Legion ( }}, Faylaq al-Rahman), also called the al-Rahman Corps, is an Islamist Syrian rebel group affiliated with the Free Syrian Army operating mostly in Eastern Ghouta, in the outskirts of Damascus, but also in eastern Qalamoun. It is the main rebel group in Jobar and have received BGM-71 TOW missiles. The group's leader is Abdul al-Nasr Shamir, a captain who defected from the Syrian Army in early 2012. History Since the death of Zahran Alloush there have been conflicts between Jaysh al-Islam and other members of the Unified Military Command of Eastern Ghouta, along with associated groups such as al-Nusra Front and its Jaysh al-Fustat operations room. Ahrar ash-Sham have remained neutral. On 18 February 2016, Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union fighters based in eastern Ghouta announced the "full incorporation" of its fighters into al-Rahman Legion, though reiterating that its fighters based in the western Damascus suburbs of Darayya and Moadammiyyeh as well as in southern Damascus would still operate under the Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union banner and were not a part of this merger. On 26 April 2016 the 1st Brigade of Damascus (then an FSA-affiliated group armed with TOW missiles) left the Southern Front and dissolved into the Legion. However, it left some time later. On 24 May 2016, leaders of Jaysh al-Islam and al-Rahman Legion met to sign a Qatari-backed deal to end hostilities after the East Ghouta inter-rebel conflict (April–May 2016), supervised by Riyad Farid Hijab. On 14 June 2016, clashes erupted again, with the al-Rahman Legion taking control of several zones previously held by Jaysh al-Islam in the southern part of Eastern Ghouta. In late July 2016, the al-Nusra Front clashed with the al-Rahman Legion in Zamalka, Markaz Rif Dimashq District over a dispute of who to carry out Friday prayers in one of the mosques of Zamalka town. On 21 October 2016, fighters from the al-Rahman Legion opened fire on protesters demanding the formation of a joint military operations room between Jaysh al-Islam and the Rahman Legion. Up to 5,000 people attended the protests throughout eastern Ghouta. Less than a week later, Glory Brigades seceded from the Rahman Legion, making it the 9th rebel group to leave the legion since the start of the war. Previously several of these groups have seceded in order to join the Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union and the now defunct Jaysh al-Ummah. In February 2017, the head of the Rahman Legion's political council, Mutasim Shamir, was present during the peace talks in Geneva. Since April 2017, heavy clashes restarted between Jaysh al-Islam and the Rahman Legion, backed by Tahrir al-Sham. More than 95 rebels from both sides were killed, among them a captain of the Rahman Legion. On 2 May, Colonel Abu Muhammad al-Kurdi of the Rahman Legion defected to Jaysh al-Islam. On 8 May 2017, the Glory Brigades rejoined the Rahman Legion after the latter surrounded the former's headquarters in Hammouriyah since 6 May. On 6 August 2017, 120 Ahrar al-Sham fighters in Arbin defected to the Rahman Legion after internal disputes. Ahrar al-Sham accused the Rahman Legion of seizing their weapons, while the Rahman Legion accused Ahrar al-Sham of their attempt to implement their "failed" experience from northern Syria in eastern Ghouta. Tahrir al-Sham reportedly sided with Ahrar al-Sham against the Rahman Legion during the clashes. A ceasefire agreement between the Rahman Legion and Ahrar al-Sham was implemented on 9 August. See also * List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War References External links *Al-Rahman Legion on Twitter Category:Anti-government factions of the Syrian Civil War Category:Military units and formations established in 2013 Category:Free Syrian Army